The next Summer School will take place in person at UC San Diego from July 17-28, 2023.

Registration is now open!

Aug 2-Aug 6 2021 | Online

This 1-week summer school promoted scholastic development through technical lectures given by field experts as well as professional development sessions aimed at early-career researchers in HEDS fields of study.

The summer school was organized by the UC San Diego based NNSA Center for Excellence: Center for Matter Under Extreme Conditions. 

Our Objectives: Introduce early-career researchers to High Energy Density Science through lectures and professional development sessions given by field experts.

• • The summer school was attended by approximately 90 attendees, including students and postdoctoral scholars, from 41 institutions and 20 countries. 

  • Additional support and course instruction came from 29 scientists and professors.

  • Held biannually, the 2021 session marked the 7th time it had been hosted by UC San Diego; the first time via Zoom due to COVID-19.

Our Program Included: Scholastic development through technical lectures on the following topics:

• • Material science and planetary physics

  • Laboratory astrophysics

  • Inertial confinement fusion physics

  • Atomic physics in plasmas and radiation spectroscopy

  • Laser-driven hydrodynamics and shocks

  • Intense laser plasma physics

  • Kinetic vs. fluid effects

  • Plasma turbulence

In addition to lectures on the above topics, the Summer School comprised special sessions including:

• Intense laser and pulsed power devices

• Diagnostics for HED experiments

• Panel discussion on career options in HEDS

• Virtual oral and poster sessions

• A technical writing workshop

Jul 28-Aug 10 2019 | UC San Diego, La Jolla, California

The 2-week HEDS Summer School took place from July 28 to August 10 at UC San Diego.

Our Objectives: Introduce early-career researchers to High Energy Density Science through lectures and professional development sessions given by field experts.

• • Held biannually, the 2019 school marked the 6th time the HED Summer School had been hosted at UC San Diego.

  • We hosted over 130 attendees, mostly Ph.D. students, from 44 institutions and 17 countries.  Of these attendees, 35 were government scientists and professors, who served as course and workshop instructors.

Our Program Included: Scholastic development through technical lectures

• • Project-based learning such as, kinetic plasma physics coding workshop, fluid modeling of plasmas workshop, X-ray techniques for studying plasmas, planetary sciences exercises.

  •  We had opportunities for the students to present their research as a formal talk or a poster.

  • We held panel discussion on career options in HEDS, and

  • Offered tours of UC San Diego and General Atomics research facilities